Gadoo The Cat: An Armenian Folktale

The cat which is a cat, no matter how smart, sophisticated or human like is, will always run after a mouse once she/he sees it. Gadoo: The Cat is an Armenian folktale that is fun, smart and clever in the way it evolves. The folktale starts off with the King bragging about his cat and how wonderful the cat is in her human like attitude and behaviour. However, when the time comes for him to show off this great cat, things take on a whole new direction. You must read it to find out what happens to this cat who everyone thought was a miracle.

The story is by Susan Kadian Gopigian and the illustrations are by Susan Collier Bolt.

For grades 2-4.

CAN FEAR BE FUNNY?

AGAINST THE ODDS by Marjolijn Hof is just that - odd. Kiki's father goes off to help people in a war-torn country, because that's what adventurous doctors do. But Kiki is stuck at home with her worried mother (she's worried too, not that she can admit it) and their stinky old dog. What happens if her father dies? Is there some law in the universe that if something dies, something else will stay alive longer? These, and other moral issues, are confronted with a dark quirky humor that will intrigue many a reader. For grades 5 and up.

ELLA KAZOO WILL NOT BRUSH HER HAIR

Ella refuses to brush her hair until it becomes son unruly that it takes over everything.No matter how hard her moms tries, she refuses to brush her hair or to have it brushed for her. Her hair keeps growing and it gets more and more tangled. When it finally gets too much for her she offers herself a solution – a haircut.

Funny rhyming story of a girl whose hair gets totally out of control. May be a good choice for a kid who's afraid to get a haircut.Colorful and watercolor illustrations. For readers Ages 3-6. Written by Lee Fox illustrated by Jennifer Plecas.

JUST GRACE

If you like books that are written in a diary format then JUST GRACE AND THE SNACK ATTACK by CHARISE MERICLE HARPER will be one of the funniest books that ever read. It has pretty much everything in it. The story is about Grace, a very precocious girl who wants to make all kinds of things out of nothing and yet who gathers everything in her house to make something that doesn't resemble anything at all. In addition, there is also a lot of school drama that will make you eager to finish the book in one seating.

For grades 2nd-4th.

ONE SUMMER AT THE MOVIES

It's summer and Dani is stuck in her small town with no best friend, she moved, no father, her parents are divorcing, the only thing left to keep her busy is the local movie theater. Fortunately the Little Art, the only movie theater in town, shows her favorite old black and white detective movies and the ticket takers are often busy elsewhere, so it is easy to sneak in. The movies and the free popcorn with toppings of your choice keep her busy until she stumbles across a secret involving a girl with polka-dot tights, her old babysitter, the cute projectionist at the Little Art and a lie. An enormous imagination fueled by watching too many detective movies sends Dani off on a journey of discovery whose result is not what she expected.

Check out the author's website: http://daninoir.com/

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Griffin comes from a big family. But suddenly, things around his family really change. He is forced to go to public school, rather than be home schooled by his mother. In fact, his mother hasn't even been home - not since she went to the hospital to have another baby. Griffin can't wait to name the new baby, even though he knows it will make his family sad. Read THE NAMING OF TISHKIN SILK by Glenda Millard to find out why, especially if you are a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader. Also good for older readers that need a quick read.

SPRING IS HERE!

Spring is here, and to get in the mood of it, grab this tiny colorful book called MOUSE'S FIRST SPRING by LAUREN THOMPSON with illustrations by BUKET ERDOGAN.
The book will make you feel and see all the colorful creatures, sounds and sense the smells of one of the happiest seasons.
Words such as squiggly squeeze, fluttery buttery and hidey insidey will give your tongue its daily exercise while your mood will be elevated with a guarantee:) You will want to go outside, breath the fresh air and start looking for the things that are fresher, prettier and colorful.

Ideally this is for k-preschool, however it can be enjoyed by everyone.

ANIMALS THAT TALK, PART 2

We met the kind and gentle Penhaligon Brush two years ago, when he just learned he was part wolf-part fox, and spent most of the story saving his loved ones from the dungeon of Ferball Manor. Now in its sequel, THE CURSE OF THE ROMANY WOLVES, S. Jones Rogan has Penhaligon on yet another adventure - that of finding a cure for "febra lupi (wolf fever)" that is infecting all the young ones in the village. But not only does the cure surface, but some other fascinating pieces of Penhaligon's past emerge. For 3rd grade and up.

GHOST WRITING GHOST

Seymour's parents have left him alone in a big old haunted Victorian house for the summer... and he likes it that way. Just him, his cat and his best friend, Olive, a 190 year old ghost living in the cupola. But people keep always want to rent the place or buy it, so he and Olive find ways to get rid of them. But when a writer moves in for the summer to try to write his thirteenth ghost story, Olive decides that she likes having grumpy Ignatius around and decides to help him write the book.

Kate Klise's new series, as with her other stories, unfold through a series of letters and newspapers articles. Dying to Meet You is for those who enjoy a light ghost story with lots of puns and a touch of friendship. For 4th-6th grade.

TOFU QUILT

The story of TOFU QUILT by CHING YEUNG RUSSELL is written in a free verse format that is quick, fun and easy to read. It's about a little girl who is told that there are a lot of things in life that she can not do because of the simple fact that she is a girl. However, this little girl knows that she has a special talent and that in her life, no matter what happens she can do great things. Her talent lies in her own hands and mind, she can write wonderful and inventive stories and letters. She starts writing letters for her illiterate aunts until she is told that at least she will not be hungry in life, since she can write. However, she is lucky in a sense that her mother thinks very highly of her and supports her in sending her to a private school where she gets exposed to great books and literature. This is a semi-autobiographical story by the author Ching Yeung Russell that is inspiring, empowering and uplifting, especially for girls.

For grades 4th and older.

SLEEP TO DREAM

Newbery Medalist Sid Fleischman has written a haunting tale called THE DREAM STEALER about a sneaky bandit coming to steal your dreams while you are trying to sleep. One night, Susanna is dreaming a happy dream about her long lost friend, only to have it rudely snatched away from her before she can find the friend! But Susana is not going to put up with that! You'll have to read the book to find out how she gets her dream back. For grades 3-6.

I NEVER AGREED TO BE A ZOMBIE!

David Lubar has a new series about how Nathan, a not so popular kid, accidentally becomes a zombie.

A ZOMBIE?! WAIT! WHAT?! How?

Well, that's why it's call an accident.

THIS KID SOUNDS LAME!

Uh, that's not a very nice thing to say. This is exactly why he tried the Hurt-Be-Gone forumula. So that people like YOU can't hurt his feelings anymore.

ARE YOU TRYING TO BLAME ME FOR HIM TURNING INTO A ZOMBIE?

Of course not. But other kids in the book, were teasing him, and bullying him and calling him names and making him feel bad so he decided to try this experimental formula his classmate's crazy scientist uncle created.

Special formula? So did it work?

I'm not gonna tell you. You'll have to read the book to find out if the formula worked or not. It's funny. You'll like it.

Fans of the Weenies books will really enjoy My Rotten Life, a funny and not so scary new series. For readers in 4th -6th grades.

BRAIDS*TRENCITAS

Abuela and Isabela, tell each other stories while Abuela braids and unbraids Isabela's hair every day. Each time Isabela asks Abuela to read a story she has written, the woman finds excuses and says that she is “ a storyteller, not a reader”. When Isabela discovers that Abuela can’t read, she finds a wonderful way to teach her grandmother how to read using the “loteria” ( a bingo-like game from Mexico). This heartwarming book talks about the importance of family and cultural traditions across generations. Colorful acrylic illustrations. Written by Kathleen Contreras, illustrated by Margaret Lindmark. Grades 2-3.

JANE IN BLOOM

JANE IN BLOOM by DEBORAH LYTTON starts off like a happy, Sunday afternoon brunch. However, things are never what they seem. She is a girl of great curiosity and wonder, who is in love with her family, especially her very popular sister, who is the light of everyone’s eye…
On Jane's birthday, she can't wait to get her ears pierced since she is literally the last girl in her classroom that does not have them. However, her parents change their minds and Jane ends up not getting what she wanted. Things do turn into much worse, when she unexpectedly loses her sister. The entire family is devastated and there seems to be to light at the end of the tunnel. However, with her love of photography, Jane slowly begins to see beauty and colors through the lenses, which later become a respite from her dull days.
This is really a heartwarming story, even though the subject matter is not light, the author has been able to make is so beautiful and lovely.

For grades 5th and older

A WALK WITH GRANDPA/UN PASEO CON ABUELO

One sunny day, Daniela and her grandpa hand in hand, went for a peaceful walk in the woods. They discover and share the beauty of nature, as they do so, they express just how much they love each other by a silly word game they play together. This is a picture book poem that celebrates the relationship between a grandfather and his granddaughter.

Bilingual full text both in English and Spanish. For readers, grades 2-3, ages 7-8. Written by Sharon K. Solomon, illustrated by Pamela Barcita.

WHO ARE POPEYE AND ELVIS?

Well, this here is a book that reminds you of lazy hot days in summer, waiting for something exciting to happen. When you're a kid like Popeye, "exciting" doesn't happen that often. Fayette, South Carolina is a slow kind of place, where Popeye lives with his grandma Velma and good-for-nothin' Uncle Dooley. It's Dooley's fault he's called Popeye, since he was the one that shot him in the eye in the first place. But now it's time for a new adventure involving a clan of ragamuffin kids, boats made of Yoo-Hoo boxes, and dead dogs. THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor is a slow, southern style of book that will hang around in your head for a while after you read it. For grades 3 and up.

BEAUTIFUL MOON/BELLA LUNA

This picture book by Dawn Jeffers is about a little girl who wants the day to last forever so that she may play and play. When the moon grants her wish for a day that never ends and she plays until exhausted, then she wishes for night to come so she can rest. This poem answers a child's persistent questions about why we have to sleep at night. It helps kids to understand why we have night and why they need to go to sleep!

Beautiful illustrations and simple vocabulary. Bilingual full text in English and Spanish. For readers grades 2-3, ages 7-8.

MEET THE DWEEBS...

Meet the DWEEB’s, Denton-the negotiator, Wendell-the computer whiz, Eddie- the athlete, Elijah-the writer and Bijay-the performer. And now, imagine these misfits all together, trying to figure the mysterious happenings at their Ho-Ho-Kus Junior High. In this laughing out loud book, you will recognize a lot of the drama and the happenings that are taking place in your own schools. The combination of these boys with their specialized areas of expertise makes them a unique team that is a guarantee for a cool, fun read.

Of course, do to the nature of their personalities and traits, everytime something bad happens, they are the once who get the automatic punishments. Now how are they going to solve certain mysterious at their school and also proof their innocence is something that you need to find out yourself:)

DWEEB: BURGERS, BEASTS, AND BRAINWASHED BULLIES by AARON STARMER.

For grades 5th and older.

BLOODY BATTLES OF SCOTLAND

Alex is off to Scotland to visit his Aunt Fiona, and hopefully find his parents who disappeared while on vacation there. As it turns out, his aunt is sick and he is sent to live with the neighbors McRae, who have three kids his own age. All is going well until Alex decides to explore the Castle Duncragglin caves that he heard about from a strange professor sitting next to him on the flight over. Suddenly, Alex and the McRae kids find themselves dodging soldiers and fighting alongside the famous Sir William Wallace, who freed Scotland from a mean English king. As Alex and his friends try to get back to modern times, the experience many exciting adventures along the way. THE BATTLE OF DUNCRAGGLIN by Andrew H. Vanderwal starts a little slow, but will please any avid historical fiction reader. For grades 5-8.

FAMILY SECRETS

WATCHING JIMMY by Nancy Hartry is about a young girl named Carolyn who's best friend Jimmy has been involved in a horrible accident that makes him brain damaged. Only Carolyn knows the truth to how Jimmy got that way, and she's not sure how to tell people. As the weight of this knowledge continues to press down on her, Carolyn learns what it means to "find her voice" when she is asked to audition for a local choir group AND perform an important speech on Canada's Remembrance Day. This is an easy-to-read story set in the late 1950's and does a great job of portraying that era from a non-stereotypical perspective. For grades 4 and up.

DANCING THROUGH THE SNOW

For a moment, try to imagine that you have nothing, and I mean literally nothing, no real name, no birth certificate, no mother or father and not even sweet memories to keep you going. What would you do? Would you hide in your face or try to make sense of the unknown and the injustice? DANCING THROUGH the SNOW by JEAN LITTLE is the ultimate story of Min (not her real name) that will touch your heart and give you the strength to dance through the snow, physically and metaphorically speaking.

For grades 5 and older.

YOU MISSED A GOOD ONE

This month's Snacktime Reader book was Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine. Most of us think of this author as the writer of princess stories, which she is of course (See Ella Enchanted). But this one is totally different and instead of fantasy, it is realistic fiction.

The story has good guys, bad guys, interesting characters and takes place in New York City during the time of the Harlem Renaissance (check your history books to find out more about this). Orphaned when his father dies, Dave is sent to live in the Hebrew Home for Boys or the HHB where he meets the "elevens" and finds a new family.

Some of the readers ratings of the story:
Celina - 10 "This one is a must read."
Eusenia - 9.5. "Everyone should read this book."
Maria - 9 "I liked the time period of the book and that it is a realistic story and not fantasy."

Next month's book is an exciting adventure story full of characters from Greek mythology that every one is sure to like. Stop by and pick up a copy of Rick Riordan's Lightning Thief and join us on Wednesday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. The group meets at the Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale, Ca, 91205 (818) 548-2035.

MORE SPIES, BUT YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHO THEY ARE

Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett J. Krozoczka is the latest in graphic novel spy tales. The lunch ladies are no ordinary school workers but secret spies with extraordinary gadgets to fight evil doers set to destroy kids all over the world. yes- those evil librarians are out to dictate what kids should read and do in their free time -READ!

Maawwwhhaaaaa haaaaa.

For grades 5 and older.

ARMENIAN FAIRY TALES

A poor man who worked countless hours with no luck or money decides to go and look for God to fix his problem. On his way, he meets a beautiful, wealthy unhappy woman, a dried up tree and a wolf that is always hungry. He promises them to find solution for them as well. God hearing this grants his wish of finding luck. Returning from the trip, he meets the tree and tells him that there is gold under the roots, also tells the woman that she should marry a man. When the tree and the woman suggest that he should be their savior, he rejects by trying to find his own luck. Finally, he tells the wolf that God told him to eat a foolish man and his hunger will be satisfied, the wolf hearing this, takes a quick breath and gabbles the foolish man. If you liked this story, than you will love the rest of the stories in the book, HOVHANNES TOUMANIAN, ARMENIAN FAIRY TALES.

For grades 5 and older

THE RANCH IS SECURE WITH HANK IS ON THE SCENE

A chicken's been murdered. All clues lead him to conclude that it's the work of the coyotes but Hank, head cowdog security at the ranch, can't seem to catch those darn coyotes. Of course they are not the only ones longing for a chicken dinner, but Hank's got to be better than those wild cousins of his. One night, after another chicken's been mauled, Hank just couldn't resist anymore and gave in to his baser instincts and wakes up with a mouthful of feathers. Caught red-mouthed full of blood and feathers, and feeling unappreciated, he sets off for the canyons to live the life of a barbarian. He falls in with the pack of unsavory coyotes and must prove his courage and win the paw of the beautiful chief's daughter.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson is the first book in this fun mystery adventure series set on a Texas ranch where the security team sometimes prefer naps over work .

DOLLS FOR ALL

THE DOLL SHOP DOWNSTAIRS by Yona Zeldis McDonough and illustrated by Heather Maione is a quaint little historical fiction about a Jewish family at the beginning of World War I. The family owns a doll repair shop that has fallen on hard times due to the fact that all the replacement parts for dolls come from Germany, and the United States refuses to trade with Germany during the war. So, the three girls Sophie, Anna and Trudie try to come up with ideas that will keep her family in business. This is a perfect story for accelerated third grade readers, or 4th graders not quite ready for lengthier chapter books.

BIRTHDAY IN THE BARRIO/CUMPLEAÑOS EN EL BARRIO

This story is about a girl's “quinces”, which is her fifteenth birthday and it represents her entrance into womanhood.

Lazarita is turning 15 and she wants a special quinces party. Unfortunately her father is unemployed so she cannot have a big celebration. On the other hand, Chavi her friend in her Cuban-American community tries to find a way to throw a birthday party for her. Imagine her surprise when all her friends join in and with the help of the community members and the mayor in order to throw a block party in her honor.

Bright and humorous illustrations. This book illustrates the power of friendship and perseverance. Grades 1-2, Ages 6-7 Written by Mayra L. Dole, illustrations by Tonel.

REMINDER: Holiday Closing

All of the Glendale Public Libraries will be closed in observance of President's Day from Saturday, February 13 - Monday, February 15.

Since we won't see you on Valentine's Day, share the love and read a story to a child.

LOVE, AUBREY

Imagine your days consisting of eating crackers and cheese for breakfast, watching TV; crackers and cheese for lunch; watching TV, crackers and cheese for dinner and watching more TV. This is how Aubrey thought she was going to spend her time alone in the house without any interruptions. However, when she runs out of food and goes to the supermarket to buy more food, things do unfold and we learn much more about this intelligent and precocious girl who is hiding her own personal tragedies in order to cope with them. As the story unfolds we learn why she was home alone all by herself and why she is trying to hide from everyone including her own Grandma. This is a great new novel with exceptionally good writing with multi layered plots and characters.
LOVE, AUBREY by SUZANNE LAFLEUR.

For grades 5th and older.

CELEBRATE SOME BIRTHDAYS...

...today's the birthday of four favorite children's author's, E.L. Konigsburg, Lucy Cousins, Mark Teague and Stephen Gammell. Check out one of their books today and share in the fun.

PINK WEREWOLF DOG

Of all the silly stories ever written, this is one of the silliest! Who ever heard of a were-poodle? A pink one at that? Well Freddy Lupin is out to prove he is worthy of the family name, despite his "shortcomings" which end up turning out to work in his favor. He narrowly escapes death, learns the powers of the moonstone, and shows his family the evil ways of his uncle! 100% WOLF by Jayne Lyons will have you chuckling the whole time! For 3rd-6th grades.

ANOTHER SPY NOVEL YOU SAY?

Yes, another one! Andrew "Danger" North is ready for the big time. He's been wanting to join the family business and has been preparing since he was six years old when his brother told him that both he and his father were spies. In his anxiousness to become a spy he kind of "borrowed" his brother's calculator thinking it would be great way to communicate to be organization that he is ready to officially become one. Of course he doesn't know how to use the calculator and is afraid he has probably just set the device to blow up the world! But before he can correct his mistake, his math teacher confiscates it and sticks the calculator in his desk drawer. Now, he has to find a way to get it back before everything is annihilated!

Andrew North Blows Up the World by Adam Selzer is a funny misadventure of a boy who absolutely believes that his father cannot be anything as boring as an insurance salesman. It's is perfect for 4th graders and up.

EVERYBODY LOVES GRANDMA

This grandma is round like a calabaza, a pumpkin, has a cat named Frida Kahlo, makes tortillas by hand to eat with breakfast, sings songs about her bedroom slippers and loves her work. Everyday she and her grandson gather up her props and stuff her jalopy with the things she needs for work--a temple with skinny stairs, a king and queen, stalks of corn, a skeleton, one sun, one moon, a plumed snake and a feathered crown. What job does she do with all of these things? Share My Abuelita by Tony Johnston (the Library's One Book/One Glendale author in 2008) with a child who loves stories and find the answer.

Photos of handmade dolls and Mexican crafts by Yuyi Morales enhance the experience in the lovely picture book for preschoolers and their lucky reader.

BUTTERFLIES ON CARMEN STREET/MARIPOSAS EN LA CALLE CARMEN

Julianita is excited because today is Butterfly Day at school. The students will learn about monarch butterflies and get to take home their own to raise. Walking her to school from their home on Carmen Street, her grandfather tells her about the town where he is from in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, where the butterflies migrate every winter. Her teacher, Ms. Rodríguez, tells the students about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, and how they fly thousands of miles south from North America to winter in warm Mexico. Share Butterflies on Carmen Street by Marcia Brown with a favorite someone.

Grades 1-2, Ages 6-7.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IS TOUGH, BOYS

After Cody and his father are shot at he is sent to live with his aunt and attend a regular middle school for the first time in his life. At thirteen, most kids know the ins and outs of how to dress and behave in an American middle school, but for Cody, nothing is making sense and he keeps getting sent to the assistant principle's office; four times his first day. Danger, however, has followed Cody. He and his new friend, a war vet, are about to find out who is watching them in the dark of night.

The cover does not do this story justice. It's an odd cover choice, making the reader think this is slick spy novel, but it's more than that. Once you get beyond the spy business, it's really about Cody coming of age and trying to figure out his place in the world and deciding what kind of a person he wants to be. Alibi Junior High by Greg Logsted is for mature readers in 6th - 8th due to some descriptions of violence.

PEPITA ON PEPPER STREET/PEPITA EN LA CALLE PEPPER

Pepita is almost always a happy girl. But she isn’t today because everything is different and strange on Pepper Street, the new neighborhood where her family moved. She doesn’t like that she can’t visit her old grocery store and she missed her old tortilleria. Several new neighbors try to greet her and her dog Lobo, but Pepita avoid them. Later on Pepita learns that making new friends isn't so hard after all.

This book would make a special gift for a child who is about to move to a new home. For readers Grader 1-2, Ages 5-6. Written by Ofelia Dumas Lachtman, illustrated by Alex Pardo DeLange.

ARAM'S CHOICE

Aram says goodbye to his only surviving family member and embarks on a long journey from Greece to Canada. He had survived the Armenian Genocide but was orphaned and lived with an older grandmother who though it would not be a wise choice for him to stay in the old county. With a group of orphan boys, he is shipped to Canada, without knowing a word of English. On his journey, he constantly thinks of his grandmother, but he knows that he will be better off in a new country, where in his opinion, trees are covered in gold. Upon his arrival, he feels a deep nostalgia for his grandmother but unfortunately there is nothing he can do except to feel her and hope to see her in his dreams. ARAM'S CHOICE by MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH.

For grades 4th and older.

BOBBY AND HIS BEAGLE

Bobby loves his dog Lucy, an energetic Beagle who barks and plays with him all the time. But Bobby does NOT love that he has to go back to school because he is very shy, and worries no one will want to talk to him. When the teacher announces the class will be doing oral reports, Bobby cringes in fear as does his friend Shawn, who is just as shy as he is. But Bobby soon learns that everyone wants to listen when he talks about his dog Lucy. LOOK AT LUCY by Ilene Cooper is a great story for early readers ready for the next step in reading. For 2nd-4th grades.

.~* BOOKMARK CONTEST 2010 *~.

It’s time for the Glendale Public Library’s Annual Bookmark Contest! Amateur artists of all ages are invited to design an original bookmark illustrating their interpretation of this year’s theme, Make a Splash @ Your Library. Stop by any Glendale Library location between January 25 - February 7 during open hours to create and submit your own special design for our 33rd annual Bookmark Contest. This is the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your artistic abilities, and this year’s bookmarks will be printed in FULL COLOR! Your bookmark entry may become an official Glendale Public Library bookmark for 2010 to be reproduced and distributed throughout the Glendale Library system and beyond! Winners will be selected in five age categories and will each receive 50 copies of their bookmarks at a celebration on March 13, 2010 with special guest artist Jim Gilbert. Complete information and materials are available at all Glendale Public Library locations. For more information, please call (818) 548-2035.

ARE YOU A MYSTERY AND PUZZLE FREAK?

Winston is a puzzle freak and the king of puzzles. thought he was being such a sensitive brother by getting Katie a wooden box for her birthday, but instead he got a lot of grief from his family because everyone couldn't figure out the words on the sticks left inside a secret compartment. The two decide to team up with other treasure seekers when they realized that the puzzle might lead to a million dollar treasure left by the librarian's father when he passed away. A fantastic scavenger hunt for those of you who like to watch "The Greatest Race". The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

A puzzling call sets Winston and his two friends off on another whirlwind adventure looking for clues and cracking codes so their school can win the big prize, $50,000! Can they beat the other schools and find the person who is cheating? the second installment is full of the same fun and excitement. The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin

AWARD WINNERS

Yesterday the American Library Association, Children's Division awarded two of the highest honors for children's literature. These are awarded yearly at the organizations mid-winter conference.

The Newbery Award, named for 18th century English book seller John Newbery, is given for the most significant contribution to American literature for children. This year the recipient is Rebecca Stead for her book When You Reach Me.

The second award given to the most distinguished American picture book for children is the Caldecott, named for 19th century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. This year it was awarded to Jerry Pickney.

Both books are available for check out, click on the cover to find a library with a copy.

THE WOODCUTTER’S GIFT/EL REGALO DEL LEÑADOR

When a violent thunderstorm knocks down the giant mesquite tree in the town square, some of the villagers see it as only worth firewood. However, Tomas, the woodcutter, sees as material for carving a beautiful zoo animals for the children of the town to enjoy. Included here are colorful full-page illustrations that picture a daily life in a small community. The Woodcutter's Gift by Lupe Ruiz-Flores, illustrated by Elaine Jerome is a good story to share with ages four and older.

MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY

All of the Glendale Libraries will be closed in honor of the Martin Luther King Holiday from Saturday, January 16 though Monday, January 18, 2010.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

Out of a lot of Martin Luther King books, this is unique because its written by none other than King's own sister, CHRISTINE KING FARRIS who gives the reader a much more intimate look at this amazing person who believed in human equality and pursued it with great passion. The illustrations done by LONDON LADD are beautiful with paintings alive with color and texture. Throughout the book, Martin Luther King's quotes are highlighted in red, giving the reader an instant access to his now famous quotes. The overall tone of the book is very inspiring and with his birthday approaching, this is the perfect time to read another story about his lasting legacy.

For grades 2nd-4th.